News Release
October 2011
SELFRIDGES EMPLOYS 1,500 EXTRA STAFF FOR THE CHRISTMAS PERIOD
Selfridges, the world’s best department store*, is pleased to announce the employment of 1,500 additional members of staff to offer support during its Christmas trading period.
Working across its four stores additional staff will assist on the many services offered by Selfridges specifically for Christmas. From the modern day Grotto, which this year offers 3D visual elements, the store’s iconic Christmas windows and the bespoke Gift Guru service, designed to solve every shopper’s Christmas gift buying dilemma, the extra staff will ensure customers benefit even more from their Christmas shopping experience at Selfridges.
Selfridges’ largest store in London will employ 1,025 additional members of staff and the collective regional total will amount to 475: London - 1,025 Manchester Trafford - 183 Birmingham - 180 Manchester Exchange - 112
Selfridges Top Twelve Christmas Services 1. Christmas Grotto: Guests will experience a winter wonderland themed maze before meeting Santa 2. Gift Gurus : A team of highly trained sales people helping customers to complete their Christmas shopping 3. Hampers: Choose from 16 variations of the iconic Selfridges hamper, last deliver date is 19 th December 4. Gift Wrap: Unique gift wrapping service by Wrapology 5. Carry to Car: Shopping bags carried to the car by store staff 6. Tax Free Shopping : Claim back on most of your purchases if you live outside the EU 7. Gift Card sites: The store will facilitate numerous gift cards sites across the whole store 8. Collect by Car: Shopping bags taken to a car collection point 9. Bag Check : Shopping bags stored during your time shopping in the store
10. Home Delivery: Shop in store and have your bags delivered to your doorstep 11. Customisation: Personalise gifts from brands such as Converse, Polo Ralph Lauren, Repetto shoes 12. Cookery Demonstrations : Special Christmas recipes demonstrated in the Food Hall, including tastings and sampling from Food experts
Anne Pitcher, Selfridges’ Managing Director said: “Christmas is the time of year when Selfridges comes into its own, offering its own distinctive take on the festive season. There are many additional services that we offer our customers during this time and we want to ensure that we continue to assist them in every way possible. Whether its advice on finding the perfect gift by a multi-lingual Gift Guru or help with carrying bags of shopping to the car we would hope the additional staff employed during this period will ensure our customers have an easier and more enjoyable shopping experience.”
Selfridges London launches its White Wonders in the Concept Store on Thursday 27 th October, the most desirable gifts created in white exclusively for the store. A new installation by iconic artist Marc Quinn and his exclusive capsule collection of products for Selfridges will also be displayed. The Concept Store will also house treasures from the Christie's archive curated for the Wonder Wall and seen only at Selfridges before auction.
The launch coincides with the epic Christmas window display launch (also 27 th October), which this year takes form as musical boxes emitting tunes for Oxford Street pedestrians to enjoy.
- Ends - For further information please contact Niravta Patel at ZPR on 020 7896 3404 or email [email protected]
*Selfridges voted the world’s best department store 2010 by the Global Department Stores Summit
ABOUT SELFRIDGES Selfridges turned 100 years old on 15 March 2009. The business was founded by American entrepreneur Harry Gordon Selfridge in 1909 as an example of the first modern department store. Gordon Selfridge ran the store himself until he retired in 1940.
After several ownerships the company was de-merged from the Sears Group in 1998 and floated on the London Stock Exchange.
In 2003 W. Galen Weston purchased Selfridges and under his ownership Selfridges has become a UK destination for fashion and luxury.
In June 2010 Selfridges was named Best Department Store in the World by the IGDS (Intercontinental Group of Department Stores) and the IADS (International Association of Department Stores).
Selfridges has 6,400 employees with four stores in London, Birmingham and Manchester (Trafford Centre, Exchange Square). For more information visit www.selfridges.com